“LIZ” is the 20th-century movie goddess Elizabeth Taylor; the man talking is her almost-lifelong partner Richard Burton, one of the past century’s acting greats.

Easily, they made the poster couple for hot romance of the 20th century, their illicit affair budding during the filming of the iconic blockbuster “Cleopatra” (1962), leading to their marriage, then divorce, then remarriage, then separation, until death (Burton’s) did them part.

It turned out the jewels, which were part and parcel of that sizzling romance, were just as hot – the stuff written about and photographed through the decades.

For the first time, the public can see the Elizabeth Taylor Bulgari collection on exhibit in Rome, as part of the beautiful and historic “Bulgari, Between Eternity and History (1884-2009) 125 Years of Italian Jewels.”

The milestone exhibit highlights the 125th-anniversary celebration of the founding of the world luxury brand Bulgari.

First retrospective

The first retrospective in Bulgari history, it showcases the significant chapters in the evolution of Bulgari design, from the opening of its first shop on Via Sistina in Rome in 1884, from the ancient Roman and Greek heritage of its design, to its imprint on the famous movies of the ’50s and ’60s and on contemporary design, lifestyle and culture.

It displays more than 500 pieces of Bulgari jewelry done through the century – their value in money (Euro or US dollars, take your pick) hard to even estimate, their artistry and craftsmanship simply priceless. (One diamond necklace alone is valued at over 20 million euros.)

Much of the jewelry, a few timepieces and the silver art (which started off Bulgari founder Sotirio Bulgari in the 19th century) belong to the vintage collection of Bulgari. A few, such as those of Taylor, were borrowed from private collectors.

The exhibit opened May 21 in the 19th-century museum Palazzo delle Esposizioni in the heart of Rome with a select list of guests that included celebrities, current (Selma Blair, Jessica Alba) and legendary (Gina Lollobrigida, Alain Delon), from politics (Rome Mayor Gianni Alemanno), business to the luxury industry (the Ferragamo, Fendi, Missoni families) and media flown in from the world over.

Welcoming them were the direct heirs now on top of the $2.4-billion luxury goods firm – Paolo Bulgari, chairman; Nicola Bulgari, vice chairman; Francesco Trapani, CEO (a nephew). (Forty-eight percent of Bulgari is listed in the Milan Stock Exchange.)

(The exhibit is on view at Palazzo until September 13, after which a good part of it travels to the US and Asia – not the Philippines, however.)

After the cocktails that opened the exhibit early evening, the more than a thousand guests were driven nearby to Castel Saint’Angelo, the ancient fortress that’s now the buzz, thanks to Tom Hanks’ “Angels and Demons,” which was filmed there.

In this castle (139 CE, but rebuilt in the 10th century), even grander cocktails and dinner awaited the Bulgari guests, an experience even jaded journalists like us will never forget.

Unparalleled sight

But first, the Liz Taylor Collection, the sight of which is unparalleled. It’s easily the crowd drawer at the Palazzo. Eye-poppers are her famous emerald and diamond necklace and earrings captured in the celebrated photograph by Helmut Newton, and which she wore to receive the Academy Award for Best Actress in 1966; the sapphire pendant and sautoir given her by Burton in 1972; the necklace in platinum and emeralds given her by Burton as wedding gift in 1964; and the earrings, brooch made of platinum, diamonds and fancy colored (yellow) diamonds given by her husband Eddie Fisher shortly before she dumped him for Burton.

Obviously and interestingly, these jewels marked moments with the men in her life, all of whom knew how much she loved(s) jewelry.

More than the love stories behind them, however, these Taylor baubles are a testament to human artistry, and this, you realized as you came face to face with them in the exhibit. The Burton wedding gift, for instance, a necklace in platinum and emeralds, has Columbian emeralds (total 60.50 karats) with stylized leaf motifs in brilliant-cut, pear-shaped diamonds.

Another, a sautoir, has a Burmese sapphire pendant (65 karats) that can also be worn as brooch, created by Bulgari in 1969.

The Eddie Fisher gifts (1962) consisting of pendent earrings, brooch and ring – all in colorless diamonds and fancy yellow diamonds – heralded the “tremblant” design which has been the hallmark of Bulgari.

The “tremblant” brooch is called such because it trembles –it’s a French term originating in the 18th century, referring to the corollas in the brooch, mounted on springs so that they quiver at the slightest movement.

There are 16 one-of-a-kind Taylor jewelry pieces, each with a story to tell of romance either fulfilled or failed, but each one an example of intricate craftsmanship and artistry that defied imagination.

Glass Island

The Taylor gallery is only one of the eight sections in the vast Palazzo that has been decked in black for the exhibit. You walk in and out of each gallery, where the jewelry is encased in a huge glass island in the center of the gallery.

Diaphanous black scrims cover the walls of the gallery, each scrim bearing images from the era represented in the gallery; they’re either scenes from a movie or portraits of Hollywood goddesses such as Sophia Loren or Audrey Hepburn (yes, she wore Bulgari, not only Tiffany) wearing Bulgari.

In the all-black transparent setting, these images are like apparitions that register on your mind, yet faint enough not to distract you from the jewelry lit at the center. It’s a masterstroke of production design.

The museum tour begins with the collection of silver art from the late 19th century crafted by founder Sotirio Bulgari, a Greek immigrant to Rome. The next gallery typifies the Art Deco-inspired diamond masterpieces of the ’20s and ’30s, done by Sotirio’s sons Giorgio and Costantino (the latter was recognized by the industry for his scholarly books on Italian gold jewelry and silver).

Then comes the ’40s and ’50s gallery, when the Bulgari style was clearly influenced by the French school (diamonds, lavishly set gemstones). It’s followed by the ’60s gallery representing a defining era in Bulgari history –
jewelry characterized by structured, symmetrical, compact shapes.

Fresh combinations

The coffee-table catalogue on the exhibit edited by the retrospective’s famed curator Amanda Triossi describes this evolution: “The other gradually emerging characteristic of the Bulgari style was its use of color. Breaking away from the traditional chromatic triad of emeralds, rubies and sapphires combined exclusively with diamonds, Bulgari explored totally new, fresh combinations. Initially ‘simple,’ these combinations became increasingly bold, using gemstones not so much for their intrinsic value as for their chromatic effect...”

The three other galleries hold works from the ’70s defined by Pop Art, the ’80s and the ’90s. There’s also the “coin jewelry” – jewels that use ancient coinage in lieu of gemstones.

What helps hold the viewer’s attention is the slew of Hollywood stars associated with the jewelry pieces, who either wore them or once owned them – Sophia Loren, Gina Lollobrigida, Princess Soraya (the former wife of the Shah of Iran), the Bulgari favorite Anna Magnani (her pinky ring of 25-karat diamond – a pinky! – is to gasp at), Alain Delon (cigaret case in yellow and red gold with cabochon ruby, given to the actor on his 25th birthday in 1960 by Italian director Luchino Visconti).

A talked-about piece is a bib necklace (it’s as big as a baby’s bib) in gold, cabochon emeralds, amethyst, turquoise and diamonds, circa 1965 – from the collection of Lyn Revson, wife of Revlon founder Charles Revson.

“Many celebrated film directors, such as Visconti, had the habit of demanding authentic Bulgari pieces to be worn on their sets, claiming that the actresses, aware of the value of the precious pieces they were wearing, behaved differently in front of the camera, and entered more deeply into their role,” wrote Palazzo general manager Mario De Simoni.

That should answer our curiosity about the stars’ magnet attraction to jewelry, other than for the obvious reason of material acquisition.

Jewelry for action

A hall is reserved at the Palazzo to display 11 one-of-a-kind jewelry and seven limited-edition timepieces Bulgari will auction at Christie’s New York in December to benefit its Save the Children Project. Their value is about 3 million euros.

All proceeds will be donated to Rewrite the Future, Save the Children’s worldwide campaign that aims to provide quality education to eight million children in war-torn areas.

Among these pieces is a sapphire-and-diamond necklace made up of 169 sapphires of varying form and color totaling 400 karats.

The exhibit is awesome indeed. As awesome is the secret destination after the exhibit opening – the ancient fortress of Castel Saint’Angelo. With the yellow (forget the red) carpet spread out the whole length of the bridge leading to the castle, Castel, bathed in soft light against the matte-blue summer sky, is an image straight out of a fairy tale that night.

The cocktail buffet is laid out overlooking the Tiber River. You are helping yourself to a rich bite of salmon when you glimpse right beside you this well-decked matron helping herself to the same feast. You stare again – it is Lollobrigida, the ’50s goddess herself, but now wearing the cruel imprint of time.

Stilettoed guests, including celebrities Selma Blair, Chloe Sevigny, Jessica Alba, Patricia Field, are not spared the arduous walk up the winding cobblestone (and rock) path up the castle where dinner is served.

There at the top of the castle, where Puccini’s “Tosca” took place in 1900, you have Rome at your weary feet. The scene gives you an exhilarating feeling not even your Manolo Blahniks can match.